ANNUAL CONFERENCE ACTION

The deadline has long passed for submitting legislation in most Annual Conferences. Should the opportunity arise, however, MFSA chapters may want to consider submitting the following resolution, or something to this effect, that continues to communicate that church trials are tremendously costly and ultimately will not lead to reconciliation within the church.

SAMPLE RESOLUTION ON CHURCH TRIALS

Whereas the United Methodist Book of Discipline acknowledges that “Church trials are to be regarded as an expedient of last resort.” (Par. 2707), and

Whereas the General Conference of 2004 commended to churches the work of JustPeace, an agency of the United Methodist Church specializing in mediation, conflict resolution, and restorative justice, and

Whereas Matthew 18:15-20 specifies the approach Christians ought to take when they differ with one another, and

Whereas church trials can often cost in excess of one hundred thousand dollars, jeopardizing mission and ministry, breaking faith with contributors, and risking financial insolvency, and

Whereas church trials are being advocated by some persons in the church as the preferredmeans to deal with questions related to homosexuality, a matter around which our Church is deeply divided,

Therefore be it resolved that the _______________ Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church rejects such a use of trials and urges its bishop to vigorously pursue every alternative to church trials in seeking to be faithful to the Discipline of the Church.

Further be it resolved that if a trial is held on a matter related to homosexuality, the bishop be requested to describe the alternatives pursued to the next executive session of the annual conference.